Date:	Ongoing
Artist:	Vong Phaophanit and Claire Oboussier
Location:	Derry~Londonderry

A project to develop a major artwork for the city of
Derry~Londonderry.

February 2009

VONG PHAOPHANIT AND CLAIRE OBOUSSIER WIN THE FOYLE PUBLIC ART PROJECT

On Friday 13 February 2009, Gregory Campbell, Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure in the Northern Ireland Executive announced ‘Mute Meadow’ by Vong Phaophanit and Claire Oboussier as the winning proposal to be taken forward in the Foyle Public Art Project.

A significant work of scale, ‘Mute Meadow’ is a vast field of light conceived by the artists in direct response to the contours of the city. Taking the form of an undulating landscape of reflective surfaces, the columns of light will refract and fragment the historic surroundings, enabling to viewer to see them in different and less structured ways.

‘Mute Meadow’ will be formed by up to 60 steel columns, six to eight metres in height. During daylight hours the work will be in perpetual transformation according to the changing natural light conditions. With the diminishing natural light, the LED lit columns, will become an immense floating field of light of changing intensity.

This elegant and rich work will be located adjacent to the River Foyle, on the 26-acre historic site, one of 2 former army bases being redeveloped by Ilex the Urban Regeneration Company for Derry~Londonderry. The ‘Meadow’ will begin on the former Parade Ground at Ebrington, forming a pathway leading down to the riverbank where its presence will extend to form a ‘forest’ of light.

Speaking after the announcement, Phaophanit and Oboussier said: "This is an exceptional opportunity for us... Derry is an exceptional city. There is a strong and committed team on this project with a clear ethos and we look forward to continuing our work with that team. We already feel a genuine bond with Derry~Londonderry and the many individuals we have made connections with through the project. We hope this will be further strengthened and extended through the community engagement which is a vital and integral part of the work 'Mute Meadow'."

Based in London, Turner Prize Nominee (1993), Vong Phaophanit and Claire Oboussier have worked collaboratively for over 20 years. The span of their work includes film, exhibitions, publications and they have created a number of large-scale groundbreaking works in the public realm.

In 2009, Phaophanit and Oboussier will produce public commissions for the new Hull Truck Theatre building in Hull and for the Olympic Energy Centre Building, London in collaboration with architects John McAslan & Partners. The artists are currently developing a commission as part of the Channel 4 Big Art Project in North Belfast and have recently installed ‘All that’s solid melts into air’ (Karl Marx)’ video installation at Tate Britain, along with an earlier installation work by Phaophanit 'What Falls to the ground but can't be eaten', both now part of the Tate collection.



February 2008

The Foyle Public Art Project is the largest single public art commission to date in Northern Ireland. This project is part of an extensive programme of regeneration of sites within Northern Ireland’s second city, arising out of the post-conflict social and cultural context of the city.

This is a significant project that seeks to define the role of the artist in the delivery of large-scale public artworks; with an emphasis on working in post-conflict locations.

The project encourages critical debate about the value and expectations of public art in parallel programmes, developed in collaboration with local arts organisations. The first of these, the Foyle Public Art Project Symposium was held at the Playhouse @ St Columb’s Hall Derry, 5 February 2008. The Symposium invited the local artist and cultural community, including university and school students to debate the reasons why we commission public art and what can be delivered in the city. Speakers included the Foyle Public Art Project Chair Declan McGonagle and its Special Advisor Peter Jenkinson; Lewis Biggs, Liverpool Biennial and Mary McCarthy, Dublin Docklands.

Vong Phaophanit & Claire Oboussier, Dennis Oppenheim, Eamonn McAteer, Michael Sandle & Simon Stringer, Greyworld and Krzysztof Wodiczko have been shortlisted to develop detailed design proposals for a major artwork based in the city, with one concept to be selected by the project’s Commissioning Panel December 2008.